Golf: McDonald takes out title in a thriller

Lachie McDonald. Photo / Darren Markin

Three days of excellent golf ended with an exciting finish to the North Island Men's and Women's Strokeplay Championships at the Waitangi Golf Club.

Lachie McDonald, from Marton Golf Club in the Manawatu/Wanganui region, held off a late fight from Chang Gi Lee, from Pupuke in Auckland, to win a sudden-death playoff with a birdie at the first hole of extra play to win the men's title - in a field of 50 in the event. McDonald led the field from day one with a 67 and set the pace after each round with a 66 on Thursday and 69 Saturday morning to go into the final round at 14 under par, three shots ahead of Lee who had jumped into second spot with a morning round of 67 entering the final round at 11 under par.

Lee shot a 71 Saturday afternoon to finish at 12 under par playing in the penultimate group, carding four bogies and five birdies. Meanwhile, in a tense final round playing with Luke Brown (The Pines) and Taylor Gill (Kerikeri), McDonald finished the front nine two over par with three bogies and one birdie.

After a birdie on 12, then back-to-back dropped shots on 15 and 16 he needed to make a crucial birdie on 17 and par 18 to finish 12 under par and set up the playoff.

Kerikeri-based teenager Taylor Gill finished a creditable third, shooting a two under par 70 to finish eight under par and take the bronze medal; followed by Northland stablemates and Whangarei pair Luke Brown (-7) and Kadin Neho (-3) fourth and fifth respectively.

Elsewhere, Gulf Harbour's Vyan Park was the only woman in the field of 13 to finish under par, shooting three under to take the women's championship ahead of Rose Zheng from Pakuranga with 12 over. Securing third place and bronze medal was Whangaroa's Brooke Kingi, finishing with 14-over.

Northland players in the mix included Brown, Gill and Kingi along with Julian Fowler, Kevin Kruse, Alex Neely, Kadin Neho, Christian Nitsche, Bob Shirley, Samantha Dangen, Taimana Ngakuru, Belinda May, and Soktaerodh and Soktaera Sean.

Also in the field were Tae Koh (former winner of the Australian amateur championship in 2014) and Vaughn McCall (former winner of the national strokeplay and matchplay titles).

Gill has secured his spot in the Northland U-19 team travelling with the U-16 side to take part in the interprovincials in Cambridge this week.